NEWS OF THE WEIRD: Two wrecks and $125 in parking tickets send pizza delivery driver to jail

Jan. 28, 2004

BUFFALO, N.Y.—A pair of auto accidents in a single day left pizza delivery driver Erik Carlson-Coulter, 22, calling police for help—and them paying them bail money.

According to the Buffalo News, the Pizza Express driver began his Jan. 26 shift delivering pizzas in his wife's car—until it was struck in a hit-run accident.

After driving the damaged car home, Carlson-Coulter then set out in his own car. While making another delivery about 6:45 p.m., he drove into what he thought was a pile of snow—before discovering it was a toilet that may have fallen off the back of a truck and into the street.

His car now disabled, Carlson-Coulter called police to report the accident, but when officers arrived, they found his car's registration was suspended because the insurance had lapsed. Worse, the driver owed $125 in unpaid parking tickets.

Police took him to headquarters where he eventually was released on $125 bail, which paid for the parking tickets. He is scheduled to appear in court on the lapsed-registration charge.